Balayage for Brunettes

As a brunette, I’m willing to bet that you like being brown: it complements your skin tone, it matches your eyebrows, it suits you. I’ll bet you’re not so keen on the orange and red tones that creep in when your hair has been coloured, though.

Never have I heard a client say ‘can you put some orange highlights in my hair, Jack?’! Yet all around me I can see that orange-brown glow of badly coloured hair. In all fairness, it can be hard to keep the brassy tones away in the sunshine and colour does oxidize, but even so it’s up to your colourist to keep the brass away.

Often brunettes think that balayage is just for blondes – that isn’t the case. Balayage is a perfect natural way to highlight your brown hair so it accentuates your best features and adds depth to your cut.

The secret is to achieve that chic tone-on-tone look, so when I talk to brunettes about balayage it’s all about browns on brown – what I like to call French Brown. You’re unlikely to look your brilliant best with white blonde highlights or brassy orange tones, so embrace your natural base colour.

Instead ask your colourist about toffee and mocha tones that will create a fresh, modern and low-maintenance style as pictured.

I’ve noticed that many darker brunettes are a bit nervous of lighteners. If you’re someone who’s had a bad experience in the past, you need to find a colourist you can trust because for stunning results you’ll need to have your hair lifted up a few levels.

The other mistake your colourist can make is with the placement of your highlights. Lots of hairdressers want to put your lighter pieces up near the roots, but that’s not what nature would do and I always thing it looks awful!

For a stunning look that’s going to enhance your natural hue and not give you that vile visible grow out line, just ask for highlights through the mid-shafts and the ends and a few perfectly placed lighter pieces around the face.

Do you want to bring out the best in your brunette with a balayage? Why not book in for a consultation to discover the tones and colour placement that will give you the low up-keep colour you crave.